No turning the other cheek..

Status
Not open for further replies.

flippynipps

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
10
Hi again! everyone! I've mentioned i'm new to the turtle world I'm the proud new mom of two RES turtles. Biggie (4") and Little Houdini (3 1/2"). Looking at pictures and reading about them I'm beginning to think Biggie is male. I'm still not sure about Little. Well I love watching them they are so enjoyable.. and I've noticed some of their antics and behaviors. Where Little is more shy he wont bask when i'm in the room and will hide in his shell when I pick him up. Biggie is a show off and likes to be watched. They will beg all day for food and are funny about it they'll float with their heads out of the water holding their mouths open and splashing the water, lol they're so cute. I feed them once a day its what I was told was routine with last owner. Owners fed them pellets only i'm trying to open up their appetites to other foods, water plants, lettuce, dried shrimps, pellets (every 3 days), I'm trying fruits now and live feeders I love watching them catch their fish!!

Well here's my situation.. (I can talk about them all day!!) I've noticed that Biggie and Little are sometimes aggressive to each other. Sometimes they'll get into staring matches, usually Little Houdini will flutter his claws in Biggie's face.. then Biggie would either do the same or snap at him. When Biggie snaps at him Little will dance around him and keep fluttering his claws at him.. and a few days ago they bit into each others locked and rolled around in the water clawing at each other! O.O will this happen often between them?? They haven't fought again they're back to usual basking together! Following each other in the tank and sleeping on top of the other.. (Hehe this happens when they both want to sleep in the same corner of the tank I've noticed!!) I noticed a battle wound on Biggies right eye i'm not sure if its a claw mark or a jaw mark his eye was swollen for a day.. it's still puffy but its gone down a lot.. he's been ok swimming around, playing and eating.. but I hate to see him hurt.. is there anything I can give him I'm not sure if he feels pain.. he acts normally no different habits I'm just wondering.. thanks for any advise...
 

Attachments

  • biglil120.jpg
    biglil120.jpg
    5.4 KB · Views: 30

ascott

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
16,138
Location (City and/or State)
Apple Valley, California
The fluttering claw movements that red eared sliders sometimes exhibit is most often a courtship ritual or "mating dance," though not exclusively. One turtle will face another head on and flutter or vibrate its front claws around the other turtle's head. It is most often males that exhibit this behavior, but not exclusively (so it can't be used to identify males and females). The performance of the courtship ritual does not necessarily mean mating will occur however, and sometimes it thought to be more of a dominance or territorial type of behavior.

http://www.redearslider.com/determining_sex.html

I would really keep an eye on their behavior to one another---these turtles can be communal but they can be agressive with one another as well--this may lead to injuries. Sometimes when feeding the turtle in their living tank--can increase the chances of agression towards one another--perhaps try feeding them in feeding locations outside of the tank (like a new dish pan with taller sides and such for each of them)...

Also, if you feed them spring mix (the red leaves seem to be the favs of the bunch here--as those are chomped up before any of the other ones) also freeze dried shrimp and mealworms and other yummy insect parts are good....as these guys age they seem to prefer meaty foods a bit less than when they are babies and eventually they prefer greens over the meaty stuff (now, don't get me wrong---these turtles are the goldfish of the the turtle world---I have NEVER seen the two here ever turn away from food--no matter what it is....lol

What size of tank/enclosure are they in together?
 

flippynipps

New Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
10
First off thank you for the advise I'll definitely keep a closer watch on them.. I live in nyc so unfortunately I have a small apartment. When I adopted them from my friend they came in a 10 gal tank, with a light fixture on top and a basking rock. Now I've installed a filter and heater both are submerged in the water. I've placed two small plants which they love to float on and sometimes will munch on. I fill the tank half way with water. I'll be moving into a bigger apartment soon and plan on getting them a nice long turtle tank for them.

Eating habits: before I got them they were only fed pellets, as I've been reading more and more on them, I've been trying to introduce them to other foods but they really wont take to them they do love their fish treats, I give them once a month live fish (red Minnows) which they love to chase around the water and eat them!! After the first time I learned not to feed them while together. They fought over it and since then I've taken one out and feed them separately. I've tried banana's, tomatoes and lettuce, Biggie has tasted each but only likes to eat the lettuce, Little Houdini doesn't bother tasting any of them aside from his regular diet of pellets, fish and dried shrimps he'll only munch on the plants in the tank. Should I keep trying to get Little to try new things? actually both of them, I've read pellets are not to, to healthy and I want them to have a variety of foods for them to eat!. I love my little guys so much!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

New Posts

Top